French honour for WWI veteran

Mr Allingham, of Chesterfield Road, Eastbourne, was given the Legion D'Honneur at Eastbourne Town Hall by the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Phyllida Stewart Roberts.

He attended the ceremony with fellow veteran and recipient Fred Lloyd from Uckfield, who is 105.

After receiving his medal in the presence of town dignitaries and friends, Mr Allingham said: "There are many, many men who deserve this far more than I do, not only in my war but in many wars."

Dennis Goodwin, chairman of the First World War Veterans Association, said he believed there were only 26 British veterans from the First World War left alive and has made it his life's work to see they receive the honour, which was introduced by Napoleon in 1808.

He said: "Since the turn of this century I have made 20 applications for the medal on behalf of the veterans and I am happy to say my success rate is equal to Johnny Wilkinson's goal kicks on Saturday."

Mr Allingham had been determined to join the war effort and at 18 volunteered himself for service.

He became a mechanic in the Royal Naval Air Service and one of the few to fly in the First World War fighter planes.

As a mechanic he was required to service aircraft just a few miles behind the Western Front in Europe and came face-to-face with the young men who had suffered in the trenches.

He said: "I was in the Royal Naval Air Service for four years and we went over to France to go to the Western Front.

"In my book, the men in the trenches won the war."

Mr Allingham, who married and had two daughters, was also at the Battle of Jutland, where he had a prime view of the fierce fighting.

After the war he took up a position at Ford, where he designed and tested engines.

Mr Allingham's grandchildren and great-grandchildren all live in America.

They were unable to make the service, although they had attended an earlier gathering at Buckingham Palace for more than 1,500 veterans.